Detachable caster.



D. READ.

DETGHABLE CASTER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. zo, 1911.

Patented Feb.20,1912.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

DANIEL READ, OF COTTAGE GROVE, OREGON.

DETACI-IABLE CASTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL READ, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Cottage Grove, county of Lane, and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detachable Casters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to detachable casters.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a caster of novel construction which is adapted to be readily applied to the rocker of a rocking chair so that the chair may be converted into a wheeled chair, thus specially adapting it for the use of invalids and elderly people and thereby obtaining the advantages of a wheeled or rolling chair without incurring the expense of a specially constructed chair of that character.

The invention consists in a frame adapted to straddle the rocker and provided with a suitable caster, and a screw clamp for holding the frame in position; further, in the combination with a frame adapted to embrace the rocker of a rocking chair and having a bottom of new construction, of a caster secured to said bottom; the invention consists, further, in the combination with a frame adapted to embrace the rocker, of a keeper Vpivoted thereto and adapted to cooperate therewith in a new manner, and a clamping screw having a threaded engagement with said keeper, whereby the device may be secured to the rocker, with the capacity for ready attachment or detachment therefrom, a suitable caster being connected to the frame.

In the accompanying` drawings Figure 1 is a perspective of a rocking chair equipped with detachable casters made according to the present invention; Fig. 2, a detail perspective of the caster with the keeper thrown back; Fig. 3, a front elevation thereof; and Fig. 1, a detail vertical section through the bottom part of the frame.

The frame 1 may be of sheet metal or made as a casting. Making it of stiff sheet metal has the advantage of cheapness, light ness and strength and that fom is shown in the drawings', the sides 1a and the bottom 1b being formed from the same piece of metal, the sides being parallel and the bottom being inclined in relation thereto.

To brace the frame and also compensate for the curvature of the rocker 2, Fig. 1, and

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 20, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

serial No. 661,268.

to enable the device to be solidly and firmly clamped on the rocker, I provide the bridge or brace 3 whose upper surface is in a plane substantially at right angles to the sides of the frame and consequently arranged in convergence to the bottom, such brace being provided with the downwardly extending flanges or lips 3a which are suitably connected by rivets or other means to the sides 1aL of the frame. Any suitable caster 4, preferably swiveled and also preferably provided with a ball bearing eta is secured to the bottom lb which enables the chair to be rapidly and easily swerved to the right or left. One of the sides la is provided with a notch or slot 1C and the other side with a flange or an ear ld to which is pivoted at 5 the keeper 6, the keeper being provided with Aa slot 6a adapted to receive the side 1a after the keeper has been passed into the slot 1 which forms a strong interlock between the keeper and the frame and relieves the pivotal connection of the keeper of strain and, further, prevents accidental vertical detachment of the device from the rocker. A thumb screw 7 passes through a screw threaded hole in the keeper and is adapted to bear upon the upper edge of the rocker 2.

As shown in Fig. 1, preferably two of the casters will be applied to each rocker, on the front and rear parts thereof, thus supporting the rocking chair free of the door at the four points where the four casters bear upon it. Consequently, any ordinary rocking chair can be quickly and easily converted into a wheeled chair for the use of invalids or aged persons. In applying the caster to the rocker, the keeper is swung to one side and the frame applied upwardly to the rocker, the keeper being thereafter swung across the top of the rocker and the thumb screw tightened against the upper edge of the rocker so that the caster is then held against movement forwardly and rearwardly on the rocker and against vertical detachment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A detachable caster having a frame adapted to engage the rocker, a movable keeper engaged therewith, a clamping screw engaged with the keeper and adapted to bear against the rocker to thereby lock the keeper and hold the frame on the rocker, and a caster carried by the frame.

2. A detachable Caster having a frame provided with a bottom and sides, a keeper pivoted to one side ofthe frame and adapted to swing crossWise of the latter, the other Side of the frame and the keeper being provided With interlocking devices, and a caster Carried by the frame.

3. A detachable easter having a frame provided with a bottom and sides, a keeper pivoted to one side of the frame and adapted to swing erosswise of the latter, the other side of the frame and the keeper being provided with interlocking devices, a Clamping screw threaded through the keeper, and a easter Carried by the frame.

4;. A detachable easter having a frame' provided With sides and a bottom which is arranged angularly to the sides, a Caster secured to said angularly arranged bottom, a false bottom arranged substantially at right angles to the sides of the frame and in Converging relation to the bottom aforesaid, and means for securing the frame to a rocker.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiiXmy signature in presence of two Witnesses.

DANIEL READ.

Vitnesses:

JOHN F. SPRAY, DAVID B. CHAMBERLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

